case studies

The Situation

Having delivered property services under an outsourced arrangement for the last 5 years, Grosvenor’s client, a major financial services organisation, was facing a rapidly approaching contract expiry with significant contract relationship issues, dissatisfied internal customers and the need to recreate the internal capability necessary to significantly improve service levels and portfolio management.

The challenge

Having already assisted to define, tender and negotiate the optimum service delivery and contracting model for the client organisation, Grosvenor was asked to project manage the establishment of a new outsourced contract and relationship and to project manage and deliver transition-in of the new service provider. In addition the Grosvenor team had to ensure a seamless transition-out of the existing service provider while providing advice and assistance in the development of the internal team structure, roles and responsibilities.

The project

A team of Grosvenor consultants was chosen for the project based on their detailed experience in property services, the management of complex service transitions and change management. With professional careers spanning finance and accounting, IT implementations and services outsourcing, the team was able to develop a program of interrelated projects in order to manage the technical, contractual and implementation risks of this complex and time critical organisational restructure.

The result

It is said that the crucible of shared experience forges the strongest bonds. For the Grosvenor project team and the client team, working together to achieve the timelines and manage the multiple risks of implementation, thrust them into a situation that demanded a wide set of consulting, professional and personal management skill.

The final outcome was on time and resulted in a step change in the client organisation’s capability and contact relationship with the new service provider. Cost savings were achieved in excess of expectations and the new relationships forged have ensured a solid platform for ongoing service delivery for years to come.

The Situation

With a new outsourced contract in place, our client, a major corporate business and a significant national brand, was unable to define, measure and report the cost savings promised by the new service provider. The relationship with the service provider was failing as the business saw no evidence of the cost savings they required.

The challenge

With significant experience in the design and management of innovative gain-share and share-of-savings models, Grosvenor was asked to develop a process to enable the client and their service provider to define and measure contractually agreed cost savings. All savings would require compliance to contractual terms and ability to withstand scrutiny to the level of internal audit, while working to improve the relationship and motivate performance.

The project

By designing a series of workshops, the Grosvenor team were able to highlight the various issues preventing the client from achieving their goals. Through the application of expert facilitation processes Grosvenor were able to articulate and define the measurement protocols, processes and frameworks required to achieve the desired outcome.

The result

Opportunities for improvement that go beyond the specifics of a consulting brief are found in almost every project. In this instance Grosvenor were able to achieve the desired management framework for performance management of multi million dollar cost savings targets as well as use the workshop and facilitation processes to build more effective working relationships and improve overall contract performance.

A fully defined and documented cost savings model was developed with a significantly improved platform for developing improved contractual relationship including an understanding on all sides of the behaviours necessary to ensure long term success.

The Situation

Our client is a health service provider in metropolitan Melbourne. The ward support services were being managed at ward level and, over time, the lack of a centralized coordination function had led to rosters evolving that were more in line with the employees' needs rather than a balance of service requirements, patient outcomes and employee preferences being struck.

The challenge

With significant experience in the design of clinical support services from its history with in-house teams in the late 1990's, Grosvenor was engaged to develop a service model that optimized resources and managed costs while at the same time maintaining the level of industrial harmony present in the workplace.

The project

By designing a series of focus groups and one-to-one interviews with staff and supervisors, Grosvenor was able to develop job profiles for the various wards and gain a strong appreciation of the service outcomes required to deliver better health outcomes to the patients. Grosvenor was also able to draw on benchmarks from other relevant health services that supported the recommended option. Consideration was made for the layout of wards and the impact of new technology on job roles.

The result

Grosvenor developed a revised service structure that provided for coordinated ward support services across the hospital, better defined roles, reduced FTE numbers, team-based operations and a sample roster that accounted for the layout and infrastructure parameters. The revised model would result in a 17% reduction in overheads and a small degree of staff redundancy.